Our body cells produce a waxy, fat-like substance called cholesterol which facilitates hormone production, production of certain digestion aiding enzymes etc. Cholesterol moves in blood stream in tiny packages called lipoproteins. Fat or lipid constitutes the interiors of lipoprotein package whereas protein constitutes the exterior. Lipoprotein can be of 2 types: Bad cholesterol or LDL (Low density lipoprotein) and Good cholesterol or HDL (High density lipoprotein). HDL is considered good cholesterol for it transports cholesterol from other parts of body back to the organ liver which finally cleanses our system of surplus cholesterol. LDL, on the other hand, is the bad type, for it harms our body.
Thus when it is said that a person has high cholesterol, it actually implies the high amount of LDL in blood. This can be life-threatening as it increases the risk of coronary artery disease. When LDL is high, cholesterol plaque gets deposited inside the coronary arteries. This condition is referred to as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis results in narrowing down of arteries and inhibition of the free flow of oxygen-rich blood through arteries. This may cause angina (chest pain) or the fatal heart attack. Cholesterol plaque may also deposit in the other arteries of our body such as the arteries supplying oxygen rich blood to brain and limbs. This may lead to consequences like cerebral stroke, carotid artery disease or peripheral artery disease etc.
The symptoms of high cholesterol are related to the disease arising from it. Some of the symptoms could be nausea, vomiting, chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, loss of balance, convulsions, numbness or tingling sensation in limbs, puffiness beneath eyes, confusion, loss of balance or co-ordination, sweating, general fatigue etc. The factors contributing to high cholesterol are: consumption of food rich in saturated fat and Trans fat, heredity, obesity, physical inactivity, aging, excessive alcohol intake, smoking, high stress and aliments like hypothyroidism, liver disease, renal disease, diabetes mellitus etc.
Home Remedies For High Cholesterol
1. Mix 1 teaspoon each of honey and lime juice in a cup of hot water and take regularly in the morning. This helps in lowering cholesterol.
2. Take half cup onion juice daily. This is an effective home remedy for high cholesterol.
3. Take 1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds with water daily to keep cholesterol under check.
4. Boil 2 tablespoon coriander seeds in 1 glass water for 10 minutes. Filter the decoction and allow cooling. Take the decoction twice daily. This reduces cholesterol considerably.
5. Eat 3-4 cloves of garlic cholesterol in order to lower cholesterol
6. Intake of guggulu extracts also help in reducing cholesterol.
7. Take one tablespoon honey regularly to prevent cholesterol levels from soaring.
8. Take 1 teaspoon of the oil extracted from Ishabgul seeds twice daily to do away with high cholesterol.
9. Mix giloye and black pepper powder and take 3 grams of the mixture daily. This is a useful high cholesterol remedy.
10. Consume lecithin rich food items like egg yolk, un-pasteurized milk, soybeans, and wholegrain cereals. Lecithin does not allow plaque to settle on artery walls thereby checking high cholesterol complications.
11. Exercise regularly
12. Try to keep body weight under check
13. Quit smoking and drinking.
Read more Home Remedies for High Cholesterol. Also know useful Home Remedies for Hypotension.